Chapter 11
My jaw dropped when we pulled up in front of the building. No, it wasn’t just any workplace. The massive structure loomed in front of me, at least ten stories high, its glass windows gleaming under the sun. Before I could even reach for the car door, Leonard was already there, holding it open for me.
"Wow," I muttered, my eyes glued to the impressive building. I had only ever seen places like this in movies. Standing in front of one felt surreal.
"Welcome to Leonard Enterprises," he announced, and I blinked, turning to him in surprise.
I hadn't expected that. "Fancy," I said, nodding in approval.
"If you would kindly leave all the talking to me," he stated coolly before walking ahead, clearly not in the mood for chit-chat. I hurried to follow, my feet echoing in the vast parking lot as we approached the entrance.
Inside, I was once again awestruck. The reception area was enormous, with an L-shaped white couch in the center, facing a large flat-screen TV. Behind a tall desk, a receptionist greeted Leonard with a respectful nod as we passed. He barely acknowledged her, moving forward with purpose. I rolled my eyes at his typical curt behavior.
We reached the elevator in silence, and when the doors opened on the tenth floor, I was greeted with yet another impressive sight. Rows of sleek white desks were scattered across the large open space. Employees, all impeccably dressed, were either glued to their computers or chatting softly amongst themselves. Meanwhile, I glanced down at my outfit, simple blue jeans and an off-shoulder pink blouse, and immediately felt out of place.
"Good morning, Mr. Leonard," a young woman jumped up from her seat as we passed her desk, her heels clicking on the polished floor.
"Morning, Blaire," Leonard replied curtly. The woman, who I quickly gathered was his personal assistant, started walking beside him, holding a file in her hand. For reasons I couldn’t quite explain, her presence irked me.
"You have a meeting in thirty minutes, sir," she informed him, scanning the papers.
"Cancel it," he replied brusquely, stopping abruptly.
Her face twisted in confusion. "What?"
"You heard me. Cancel all my meetings today. Postpone them, reschedule, do whatever you need to, Blaire," Leonard ordered, his tone sharp.
The poor girl seemed to shrink under his gaze. "Yes, sir," she mumbled.
Finally, Leonard turned to me. "By the way, this is Eva. My childhood friend." He delivered the lie with such ease, I had to bite my lip to hide my smile.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Eva," Blaire greeted me enthusiastically, shaking my hand. She seemed pleasant enough, which made me regret my earlier assumptions about her. "You must be someone special. Mr. Leonard has never..." She stopped abruptly when he shot her a glare. I had to stifle a laugh. He really intimidated his staff.
As Blaire offered me a parting smile, Leonard continued walking, and I followed him down the hallway until we reached a single door at the end. He held it open for me, and I stepped inside his office.
I was immediately struck by the sheer size of the room. One entire wall was a transparent window, offering a stunning view of the city below. His massive desk stood before it, neat piles of files and a computer resting on top. Two chairs were positioned opposite the desk, while a plush white couch sat off to the side, complete with a sleek coffee table. A flat-screen TV was mounted on the far wall, and a large bookshelf occupied the other corner. Everything was pristine, white, and modern.
"You’ve got a beautiful office," I remarked.
"Thank you, Miss Eva," he said as he moved toward his chair.
I cleared my throat, unsure of what to say next. My gaze drifted toward the window. "So... what was Blaire trying to say earlier?"
"Nothing," he replied quickly.
I raised an eyebrow. "Have you never brought a girl here before?" I knew I was being nosy, but I couldn’t help myself.
His expression tightened. "Miss Eva," he said, irritation creeping into his voice. "I brought you here to make up for yesterday."
His words stunned me. "What?"
Leonard ran a hand over his forehead, clearly frustrated. "I realize I acted poorly yesterday."
I blinked, still processing his sudden admission. "Wait, this is your apology?"
"I’m not good at apologizing because I usually don’t make mistakes that require one," he explained. "But I know I was wrong. That’s why I decided to honor your request today." He took a step toward me, his eyes softening.
Before I could respond, a sharp, overpowering scent hit my nose, and my stomach immediately churned. Oh no. I gagged, slapping my hand over my mouth.
"Are you okay?" Leonard asked, concern in his voice. I shook my head furiously, trying to signal that I was about to throw up. Realizing what was happening, he quickly guided me toward a door I hadn’t noticed before. Inside, I bent over a sink and emptied the contents of my stomach.
To my surprise, Leonard held my hair back as I continued to heave. When I finally finished, I rinsed my mouth and straightened up, embarrassed by the entire situation.
"Are you okay?" he asked again, but before I could answer, another wave of nausea hit. This time, I realized the culprit. "Your perfume," I managed to croak before throwing up again.
"My perfume?" Leonard looked genuinely confused for a moment, then quickly shrugged off his suit jacket. "Stay here. I’ll be back," he said before rushing out of the room.
I leaned heavily against the sink, completely overwhelmed. This pregnancy thing had definitely reached a whole new level.